The inappropriate interplay occurred throughout a Monday soccer sport towards James. W. Robinson Jr., in line with an FCPS spokesperson.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — An Alexandria junior varsity soccer participant was allegedly referred to as a racial slur and spat on by a Fairfax County soccer participant throughout a sport this week.
A Fairfax County Public Colleges (FCPS) spokesperson mentioned the incident occurred throughout a T.C. Williams and James W. Robinson Jr. junior varsity soccer sport.
Alexandria Metropolis Public Colleges issued a press release that mentioned they’re taking the matter critically and speaking with college students and coaches who have been concerned and witnessed the incident.
“Particularly, we have been amassing data and statements to study extra about what occurred relating to the allegations that one in every of our college students was spat on throughout the sport and referred to as a racial slur,” a press release from T.C. Williams Excessive College Principal Peter Balas mentioned to oldsters and workers. “Please relaxation assured that we’ll proceed to work with our workers and college students relating to this example and that we’ll be certain that our college students are supported and guarded.”
FCPS issued a statement Wednesday that mentioned it’s conscious of various allegations relating to the usage of racially charged language and racial slurs prior to now few weeks.
The district assertion mentioned it embraces range and condemns hate speech and racial intolerance of any form on or off faculty premises. It additionally mentioned the district will maintain anybody discovered to have used such language whereas representing any of its colleges accountable for his or her actions.
“FCPS will examine any incidents completely and can be taking swift and applicable motion if deemed obligatory,” the assertion learn partially. “Per Virginia Excessive College League (VHSL) guidelines, gamers heard utilizing such language can be ejected and suspended for extra sport(s). Unsportsmanlike conduct will lead to an instantaneous overview of the sport by officers and coaches.”
A spokesperson instructed WUSA9 that they can’t converse to particular person scholar conditions of who’s being investigated and what their repercussions might be.
A VHSL spokesperson mentioned Wednesday that they had not obtained a report relating to racial slurs and spitting at a current sport from any highschool in Northern Virginia.
There was an analogous incident in March on VHSL’s radar the place gamers for Marshall Excessive College, an FCPS faculty, spoke racial slurs to gamers on Wakefield Excessive College’s staff and spit at them.
Monique Bryant’s son was on the Wakefield staff and arranged a petition, #playfairnow, that specifies racism is not going to be tolerated. The petition additionally reads the difficulty of racism and bigotry is larger than the sport of soccer, and it goals to shine a light-weight on the persevering with tradition of tolerance for unjust practices in sports activities, colleges, and society.
“Persons are saying thanks for lifting your voice, thanks for saying one thing, we’ve mentioned issues and we felt unheard,” Bryant mentioned. “To know that youngsters have been preventing these battles they usually did not really feel as if their voice mattered is unbelievable. It’s unacceptable”
Bryant mentioned she has been talking with state officers about doable laws to cease racist incidents throughout athletic occasions.
“I simply hold questioning, will it ever cease,” Bryant mentioned. “I by no means thought that our kids could be preventing the identical battles that my dad and mom fought, and my grandparents fought.”
— to www.wusa9.com
